The destruction of the homeostasis in the gut-brain axis can lead to cognitive impairment and memory decline. Dietary intervention with bioactive peptides from aquatic products is an innovative strategy to prevent cognitive deficits. The present study aimed to determine the neuroprotective effect of tilapia head protein hydrolysate (THPH) on scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in mice, and to further explore its mechanism through the microbiota–gut-brain axis. The results showed that THPH administration significantly improved the cognitive behavior of mice, and normalized the cholinergic system and oxidative stress system of the mice brain. The histopathological observation showed that THPH administration significantly reduced the pathological damage of hippocampal neurons, increased the number of mature neurons marked by NeuN and delayed the activation of astrocytes in the hippocampus of mice. In addition, THPH administration maintained the stability of cholinergic system, alleviated oxidative stress and further improved the cognitive impairment by reshaping the gut microbiota structure of scopolamine-induced mice and alleviating the disorder of lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism in serum. In conclusion, our research shows that THPH supplementation is a nutritional strategy to alleviate cognitive impairment through the gut-brain axis.

We isolated and characterized tilapia-head chondroitin sulfate (TH-CS) and explored its biological activity and mechanisms of action as an oral supplement for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice. The results showed that treatment with TH-CS for 8 weeks alleviated the development of NAFLD, as evidenced by the notable improvement in liver damage, blood lipid accumulation and insulin resistance (IR). Meanwhile, TH-CS treatment reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and normalized oxidative stress. Additionally, the analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing revealed that TH-CS could restore gut microbiota balance and increase the relative abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria. Furthermore, SCFAs produced by related bacteria can further improve lipid metabolism and IR by regulating lipid synthesis signals. In conclusion, TH-CS is an effective dietary supplement for the prevention of NAFLD, and may serve as a potential supplementary treatment for lipid-related metabolic syndrome.

Hereditary vitreoretinopathies are potentially blinding inherited disorders characterized by an abnormal-appearing vitreous gel and associated retinal changes. Four of these disorders, Stickler's syndrome, Wagner's disease, erosive vitreoretinopathy, and Goldmann-Favre syndrome, exhibit marked syneresis of the vitreous gel. Erosive vitreoretinopathy has associated retinal pigment epithelial changes, poor night vision, visual field defects, and abnormal electroretinographic findings; symptoms not found in Stickler's syndrome. A 36-year-old man with progressive visual loss and a visual field defect had no systemic disease. His vitreous cavity was liquefied. Vitreous strands and a cataract were found in both eyes. Pronounced RPE degeneration was found superotemporally in both eyes and a bullous rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in the left eye accompanied two retinal tears. His visual field showed a ring scotoma in both eyes and the ERG finding was abnormal. We report one case of erosive vitreoretinopathy with retinal pigment epithelial changes, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, visual field defects, abnormal electroretinographic findings, marked vitreous syneresis and cataract. These symptoms are distinct from previously described entities.

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